Decorative light fixtures have been used in the past. They have been in the form of decorative light bulbs and also as covers for ordinary light bulbs.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,721 shows an assembly for use as a garden light that provides a decorative light, fixed in place on a post, and which creates an ascetically pleasing atmosphere conducive to picnics or cook-outs. Essentially, a light assembly as shown therein may be used as the light source for applicant's device as will be evident from the ensuing description of the invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,849,601 shows a system for applying decorative covers to a light source which applies covers to a base assembly which holds a light bulb and wiring for a power source. The decorative cover is then attached to the light bulb housing with screws.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,815,439 shows a similar arrangement of a plurality of shades placed over a multiple set of light bulbs attached to a cover on an Easter basket.
A more recent patent along the same lines is U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,506, again showing a plurality of decorative ornaments or shades over a set of light bulbs on a light string. The ornaments are screwed onto the outer surface of the light bulb socket which is provided with appropriate threading to mate with the internal threads provided on the inside surface of the ornaments.
All of these devices are concerned with either a light which, when assembled as a garden light, is aesthetically pleasing or light bulbs which have decorative covers placed over them.
Applicant's invention is directed to light systems such as inground walkway, driveway and garden lighting as well as lamppost lights on driveways and carriage lights mounted on walls and doorways of residential and commercial buildings. These systems like that of U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,721 are self-contained. All the light bulbs are in place in the lighting and enclosed with appropriate covers and/or shades. To apply decorative covering to such lights requires removing the existing covers and/or shades from the light source and applying the new decorative cover over the lights and securing it thereon. The removed covers and shades will then have to be stored until the decorative cover is no longer needed for its intended use and again more disassembly and assembly steps are required. In the case of the replacement of a set of driveway lights for example to place covers over the bulbs in lieu of the existing shades, a time consuming job is required, since the multiple light sources will require decorative covers to be placed over each.
In instances where a unitary decorative cover is provided for inground lighting, the bottom opening is typically sized to fit over the light bulb and thus mounting the cover requires affixing it to the light bulb housing directly or with an appropriate adapter for the light housing. An example of this latter arrangement is the Malibu.RTM. Halloween Pumpkin sold by Intermatic, Inc., Spring Grove, Ill. for use on their Malibu.RTM. low voltage light fixtures having risers or inground stakes. The pumpkin is sized so it can be placed over the light bulb after the normal shade or cover on the light bulb is removed. An adapter for use in serving as a seat for the pumpkin bottom is fitted to the light socket housing and is supplied with the pumpkin by the manufacturer.
While all of these prior art devices have utility, they do require time consuming assembly and disassembly for installation and costly mechanical and electrical parts to insure proper installation of the decorative cover or covers. In addition, the parts of the original light covers and shades removed to place the decorative covers on the light source must be carefully stored so that the original covers can be replaced when the holiday or seasonal events depicted by the decorative covers no longer exist.